US20100265585A1 - Retro-reflector - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a retroreflective article enabling to retroreflect incident light in its incident direction, and the retroreflective article including at least one retroreflective element, the retroreflective element comprising at least one reflecting corner comprised of a pair of corner reflecting surfaces which meet at dihedral angle of about 90 degree; and a pair of vertical reflecting surfaces which are formed on both ends of the reflecting corner to be substantially perpendicular to a corner of the reflecting corner with a distance which is smaller than the highest vertical height and which meet at dihedral angle of about 90 degree for the pair of corner reflecting surfaces. This retroreflective article has higher retroreflective ratio and wider available retroreflective range, and it is designed to be freely changed its main reflecting direction having the highest retroreflective ratio.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD
• The present invention relates to a retroreflective article, and more particularly, to a retroreflective article enabling to retroreflect incident light in its incident direction.
BACKGROUND ART
• A variety of traffic safety facilities such as traffic signs, pavement markers, delineators and tripods or goods which should be importantly confirmed their visibility at rainy day or at night such as safety clothes, automobiles, bicycles, helmets and shoes are installed with or attached with a retroreflective article enabling to increase the visibility for the goods by retro-reflecting the incident light from front side thereof toward the light source radiating the light.
• Conventionally, a retroreflective article provided with a glass bead or a cube corner has been usually used as the retroreflective article which will be applied to the goods which should be importantly confirmed their visibility.
• However, the conventional retroreflective article has an inferior retro-reflection range at high angles of incidence because for the light having high incident angle the retroreflective article has low retroreflective ratio which is expressed as the ratio of the quantity of incident light to the quantity of retro-reflected light is low.
• For example, in the case of the conventional retroreflective article using glass beads, because the light incident on the edges of the glass beads or into gaps between the glass beads is not retro-reflected, the overall retro-reflection ratio is lowered, and thus brightness is low.
• In the case of the conventional retroreflective article using cube corners, the overall retro-reflection ratio is high compared to the conventional retroreflective article using glass beads. However, when the incident angle of the light becomes large due to movement of the light source, the apparent area of the exposure surface (i.e. the area of the exposure surface when viewed from the direction of the light source) has no alternative but to be geometrically reduced. At this time, because the percentage of the retro-reflection area capable of retro-reflecting the light incident on the exposure surface is further reduced, the conventional retroreflective article using cube corners has a problem in that the brightness is sharply lowered in proportion to the magnitude of the incident angle. Therefore, the retro-reflection range of the incident angle, i.e. the visible retro-reflection range, is very narrow, and a retroreflective article enabling to retroreflect light having a large incident angle, which is deflected off the front of the exposure surface in a specific direction at an angle greater than a predetermined angle, is very difficult to design and fabricate.
• To improve the problems of the conventional retroreflective article like above, it has been developed the retroreflective articles such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,349,598 “High Incidence Angle Retroreflective Material” or U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,428 “High Efficiency Retroreflective Material” which can retroreflect mainly the incident light having its incident angle greater than about 45 degree in which its main reflecting direction is sharply deflected to a specific direction.
• These retroreflective materials are that reflective elements formed with a cube corner between two rectangular surfaces which meets the dihedral angle of about 90 degree and one triangle surface which perpendicularly crosses the two rectangular surfaces are arranged, and they have very high retroreflective ratio for the incident light having high incident angle since they are sharply deflected in a specific direction which is a main reflective direction having the highest retroreflective ratio.
• Further, “Highly canted retroreflective cube corner article” disclosed in International publication No. WO 1998/20374 is a varied cube corner structure, and this also has very high retroreflective ratio for a specific incident light having high incident angle.
• However, the above mentioned retroreflective materials retroreflect using three reflecting surfaces as same the cube corner which is a conventional retroreflective structure, and therefore they still have a problem which is raised in conventional retroreflective articles using cube corners, that is, the problem which they have high retroreflective ratio only for a specific incident light having incident angle greater than 45 degree but it has very low retroreflective ratio for a incident light having low incident angle, therefore the incident range enabling to retroreflect is very narrow. Further, the above mentioned retroreflective materials is not freely designed in its main reflective direction defined as the highest retroreflective ratio.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTIONTechnical Problem
• Accordingly, the present invention is created to solve the above conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a retroreflective article enabling to increase its retroreflective ratio by reflecting an incident light using three or more than three reflecting surfaces according to its incident angle, to have widen retroreflective range by widening a range of the incident angle, and to be freely designed its main reflective direction defined as the highest retroreflective ratio.
Technical Solution
• To achieve the object of the present invention described above, the present invention provides a retroreflective article including at least one retroreflective element, the retroreflective element comprising at least one reflecting corner comprised of a pair of corner reflecting surfaces which meet at dihedral angle of about 90 degree; and a pair of vertical reflecting surfaces which are formed on both ends of the reflecting corner to be substantially perpendicular to a corner of the reflecting corner with a distance which is smaller than the highest vertical height and which meet at dihedral angle of about 90 degree for the pair of corner reflecting surfaces.
• The highest vertical height is defined as the height of one of the vertical reflecting surfaces when two vertical reflecting surfaces has same height, whereas defined as the height higher than the other when two vertical reflecting surfaces has different height.
• In the above structure, the retroreflective element includes more than two reflecting corners arranged in parallel between the two vertical reflecting surfaces.
• Further, the distance between the two vertical reflecting surfaces of the retroreflective element is preferably less than ½ of the highest vertical height.
• Further, the two vertical reflecting surfaces may be formed to have different vertical height, in this case the distance (t) between the two vertical reflecting surfaces is preferably less than ⅔ of the vertical height difference of the two vertical reflecting surfaces.
• Further, in the case that the height of the two vertical reflecting surfaces of the retroreflective element is different, the retroreflective elements are arranged so that a vertical reflecting surface having lower vertical height directs same direction or so that a vertical reflecting surface having lower vertical height crossly directs opposite direction.
• Further, a receiving light surface which receives the incident light entered on the retroreflective element at the upper portion of the retroreflective element may be formed to have an inclined angle of 1˜60 degree with respect to the standard surface which is parallel with the corner of the reflecting corner.
ADVANTAGEOUS EFFECTS
• The retroreflective article according to the present invention can increase its retroreflective ratio by reflecting an incident light using three or more than three reflecting surfaces according to its incident angle and have widen retroreflective range by widening a range of the incident angle. Further, it can be freely designed its main reflective direction defined as the highest retroreflective ratio.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a partially enlarged perspective view illustrating a retroreflective article according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
• FIGS. 2 and 3 are plane and side views of the retroreflective article inFIG. 1;
• FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating retroreflective element of the retroreflective article according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a reflecting corner of the retroreflective element inFIG. 4;
• FIGS. 6 and 7 are plane and side views of the reflecting corner inFIG. 5;
• FIGS. 8 and 9 are cross sectional views of the reflecting corner of the retroreflective element in which its corner direction is deflected in the retroreflective article according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
• FIGS. 10 and 11 are side and cross sectional views illustrating a retroreflective path of the retroreflective article according to a first embodiment of the present invention;
• FIGS. 12 and 13 are side views illustrating a retroreflective path of the retroreflective article according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 14 is a perspective view illustrating a retroreflective element according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 15 is a perspective view illustrating a reflecting corner of the retroreflective element according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
• FIGS. 16 and 17 are front and side sectional views of the reflecting corner inFIG. 15;
• FIGS. 18 and 19 andFIGS. 20 and 21 are side and front views of the retroreflective element illustrating the retroreflective path of the retroreflective element according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 22 is a side view expressing a reflecting path of the retroreflective element according to the second embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 23 is a side view of a changed retroreflective article according to a second embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 24 is a perspective view illustrating a retroreflective article according to a third embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 25 is a side sectional view of the retroreflective article inFIG. 24;
• FIG. 26 is a perspective view illustrating a retroreflective element of the retroreflective article according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 27 is a front view of the retroreflective element inFIG. 26;
• FIG. 28 is a front view of a changed retroreflective element according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 29 is a side view of the retroreflective element inFIG. 26;
• FIG. 30 is a front view ofFIG. 26 expressing a reflecting path on the retroreflective element;
• FIGS. 31 and 32 are side views ofFIG. 26 expressing a change of the reflecting path according to a change of an incident angle of an incident light;
• FIG. 33 is a view illustrating vector line of the main reflective direction of the retroreflective element according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 34 is a side view of a changed retroreflective article according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 35 is a perspective view of a changed retroreflective element according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 36 is a side view of a further changed retroreflective article according to the third embodiment of the present invention;
• FIG. 37 is a perspective view of a retroreflective article according to a forth embodiment of the present invention; and
• FIG. 38 is a side view of the retroreflective article inFIG. 37.
MODE FOR THE INVENTION
• The above described object, characteristic, and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description.
• Hereinafter, the retroreflective articles according to various embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
First Embodiment
• FIG. 1 shows a partially enlarged perspective view illustrating a retroreflective article according to a first embodiment of the present invention.FIGS. 2 and 3 show plane and side views of the retroreflective article inFIG. 1.
• As shown, theretroreflective article1 according to this first embodiment is formed with a flatlight receiving surface1aon the upper portion thereof and formed withretroreflective elements10 to be closely arranged with a constant pattern on the bottom surface thereof.
• FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of theretroreflective elements10 which retroreflect the incident light which is entered through the receivingsurface1ain theretroreflective article1.
• As shown, theretroreflective element10 of this first embodiment is composed of a reflectingcorner11 having light and rightcorner reflecting surfaces11aand11bwhich are perpendicular from each other, and a pair of vertical reflectingsurfaces12 and13 vertically formed on the both sides of the reflectingcorner11 with a distance (t) smaller than a vertical height (h) of thereof.
• As shown inFIG. 5, the reflectingcorner11 has a reflecting structure in which a pair of rectangular corner surfaces11aand11bhaving band shape almost perpendicularly meet to form a dihedral angle. As shown inFIGS. 6 and 7 showing front and side thereof, this forms a reflecting structure like a total reflection prism, and performs corner reflection which changes the progressing direction of the incident light (I) to only the lengthwise direction of the reflecting corner.
• In the reflectingcorner11, as shown inFIG. 4, the bothcorner reflecting surfaces11aand11balmost perpendicularly meet with the vertical reflectingsurfaces12 and13, and then it is formed a retroreflective structure like a cube corner composed of three reflecting surfaces (one of the vertical reflectingsurfaces12 and13 and bothcorner reflecting surfaces11aand11b). Therefore, the bothcorner reflecting surfaces11aand11bwill retroreflect the incident light (I) entered on the reflectingcorner11 together with one of the vertical reflectingsurfaces12 and13.
• As shown inFIG. 6, the left and right corner surfaces11aand11bof the reflectingcorner11 are formed to have same width (W) so that the reflectingcorner11 has a symmetrical structure in leftward and rightward. Alternatively, as shown inFIG. 8, they may be formed to have different widths (W1 and W2) so that the corner direction (D) defined as a median line which connects from the corner thereof to the midpoint (M) between thecorner reflecting surfaces11aand11baccording to the relative position of a light source is deflected toward the light source. Further, the dihedral angle (φ) between thecorner reflecting surfaces11aand11bmay be slightly greater or smaller than 90 degree so that the incident light (I) is conically diffused and retroreflected by the reflectingelement10.
• A corner reflecting ratio defined as a ratio of the light amount which can be corner reflected by the reflectingcorner11 of the total incident light (I) is changed according to the horizontal incident angle (α_W) of the incident light (I). That is, in a case that the incident light (I) is entered to the corner direction (D), the incident light (I) is totally corner reflected, and therefore the corner reflecting ratio is highest. Meanwhile, when the incident direction is departed from the corner direction (D), the ratio of the light amount which can be corner reflected is decreased, and therefore the corner reflecting ratio is decreased. For example, as shown inFIG. 8, when the incident light (I) is entered to be parallel with the corner direction (D), it is totally corner reflected as the reflecting light (R) of the corner direction (D), and therefore the corner reflecting ratio is highest. Meanwhile, as shown inFIG. 9, when the incident direction of the incident light (I) is departed from the corner direction (D), the deviant crease lined area which can corner reflect is decreased, and therefore the corner reflecting ratio is decreased. The reflecting path expressed as ‘i→r’ is the progressing path of the incident light (i) in which it is not corner reflected but specular reflected because only thecorner reflecting surface11bof the reflectingcorner11 does reflect.
• As shown inFIGS. 10 and 11, in this first embodiment, the vertical reflectingsurfaces12 and13 of theretroreflective element10 are formed to have a vertical height (h) much greater than the distance (t) there-between (h>>t). These vertical reflectingsurfaces12 and13 alternatively specular reflect the incident light (I) in zigzag type and send it out of the element through thecorner reflecting surfaces11aand11b.
• Theretroreflective element10 having the above described structure, that is, theretroreflective element10 composed of the reflectingcorner11 which performs corner reflection and two vertical reflectingsurfaces12 and13 which perform specular reflection will selectively retroreflect or corner reflect the incident light according to its incident angle (α) since the incident light is alternatively specular reflected in zigzag type by the two vertical reflectingsurfaces12 and13 and retroreflected by means of cube corner typed retroreflective structure which is formed by the reflecting corner and one of thevertical surfaces12 and13. Therefore, in a case that the incident light is radiated from the light source (L) which is relatively moved, the alternation number of its specular reflection of thevertical surfaces12 and13 will be changed according to the change of the incident angle, and therefore retroreflection and specular reflection will be performed.
• The retroreflective article according to this first embodiment, as like above, is formed that theretroreflective elements10 which can retroreflect or corner reflect the incident light (I) according to its incident angle (α) are closely arranged on the bottom surface thereof with a regular pattern. It can alternatively retroreflect and specular reflect the incident light (I) from the light source which is relatively moved according to the change of the incident angle (α).
• Therefore, the retroreflective article according to this first embodiment, as shown inFIG. 3, is recognized like flickering by an observer (e.g. a driver) of a light source which is relatively moved (e.g. a light of an automobile), and therefore its retroreflection range is very high.
• Further, the retroreflective article according to this first embodiment can easily change the main reflecting direction having the highest retroreflection ratio defined as the ratio of the amount of retroreflected light with respect to that of incident light by means of the widths (W1, W2) of thecorner reflecting surfaces11aand11bwhich compose the reflectingcorner11, and therefore it is free in change of the main direction (D).
• The flickering principle of the retroreflective article according to the first embodiment will be definitely understood from the description for a second embodiment as follows.
Second Embodiment
• FIGS. 12 and 13 are side views illustrating a retroreflective path of the retroreflective article according to a second embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 14 is a partially enlarged perspective view illustrating a retroreflective element according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
• As shown, theretroreflective element20 of the retroreflective article according to this second embodiment includes a reflectingcorner row21 composed of reflectingcorners210 arranged in parallel on the same plane and becoming a bottom portion of theretroreflective element20, and a pair of vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23 formed on both sides of the reflectingcorner row21 to be perpendicular with the reflectingcorner10 with a distance (t) smaller than its vertical height (h).
• As shown inFIG. 15, the reflectingcorners210 forming the reflectingcorner row21 on the bottom portion of theretroreflective element20 has a reflecting structure in which a pair of rectangular corner surfaces211 and212 having band shape perpendicularly meet to form a dihedral angle (φ), which forms a reflecting structure like a total reflection prism. As shown inFIGS. 16 and 12bwhich are cross sectional view and side view ofFIG. 15, it is performed a corner reflection which the progressing direction of the light is changed to only the vertical direction of the reflecting corner. In the reflectingcorner210, the bothcorner reflecting surfaces211 and212 almost perpendicularly meet with one of the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23, and then it is formed a retroreflective structure like a cube corner composed of three reflecting surfaces (one of the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23 and bothcorner reflecting surfaces211 and212). Therefore, the incident light entered on the reflectingcorner210 will be retroreflected.
• As shown inFIGS. 18 and 19, the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23 formed on both sides of the reflectingcorner210 are formed to have a vertical height (h) greater than the distance (t) between them (h>t). This alternative specular reflect in zigzag type the incident light (I) irradiated from theretroreflective element20 and projects it to the reflecting corner row21 (p1→p2), and one of the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23 makes a retroreflective structure together with the reflectingcorner210 which performs corner reflection (c1→c2), and then the light projected on the reflectingcorner210 is retroreflected (c1→c2→p3). And, the reflected light (R) which is retroreflected through the reflectingcorner210 is alternatively specular reflected in zigzag type (p4→p5), and then it is sent out of theretroreflective element20.
• In theretroreflective element20 having the above described structure, as shown inFIGS. 18,19,20 and21, the incident light (I) is alternatively specular reflected in zigzag type up to the reflectingcorner row21 by the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23, and then it is retroreflected by the reflectingcorner10 of the reflectingcorner row21 together with one of the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23. The reflected light (R) is again alternatively specular reflected in zigzag type by the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23, and then it is sent out of theretroreflective element20, which allows the incident light (I) to be retroreflected or corner reflected according to its incident angle.
• Theretroreflective element20 according to this second embodiment, as shown inFIG. 22(a), directly performs corner reflection using only the reflectingcorner210 without using the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23 when the incident angle of the light is 0 degree. And, as shown inFIGS. 22(b)-(e), theelement20 will selectively perform retroreflection or corner reflection according to the dimension of the incident angle (α) when the incident angle (α) of the light is greater than 0 degree. That is, as shown inFIGS. 22(c) and (e), if the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23 which finally specular reflect very before the light is out of theelement20 are the vertical reflectingsurfaces22, the light is retroreflected to the light source, whereas if they are the vertical reflectingsurfaces23, as shown inFIGS. 22(b) and (d), the light is retroreflected to an opposite side of the light source. And, when the incident angle (α) is varied from 0 degree to 90 degree by the relative movement of the light source, an observer who moves with the light source (e.g. a driver in an automobile) may observe flickering like since the incident light having its incident angle of 90 degree is alternatively retroreflected or corner reflected as much as the number (p1→p2→ . . . →p7) which the incident light crosses the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23. The retroreflective element shown inFIG. 22 will be observed as like it is flickered in 3.5 times since it performs 7 times of alternative retroreflection and corner reflection while its incident angle (α) is varied from 0 degree to 90 degree. Therefore, the height (h) of the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23 is at least 2 times or preferably more than 3 times of the distance (t) between them since the alternative number (flickering number) of the incident between the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23 is increased when the distance between the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23 is decreased.
• The flickering period of theretroreflective element20 becomes shorter since the alternative number of the retroreflection and corner reflection with respect to the relative movement distance of the light source is increased when the ratio of the distance (t) over the height (h) of the reflectingsurfaces22 and23 is greater and when its refractive index is smaller. And also, the flickering period becomes shorter since the alternative period with respect to the relative movement distance is shorter when the relative movement velocity of the light source is faster.
• FIGS. 12 and 13 show the reflecting path in which the incident light (I) is retroreflected or corner reflected by theretroreflective element20 of the retroreflective article of the second embodiment according to its incident angle (α1).
• FIG. 23 is a changed embodiment of the retroreflective article of the second embodiment, and a receivingsurface2bhas slanted receivingsurfaces2b₁and2b₂which have different slant direction in geometric, and theslanted receiving surfaces2b₁and2b₂are alternatively arranged to form multilateral surfaces.
• Like this retroreflective element, since the refractive index of the incident light (I) is released (β1<β2) comparing with the retroreflective article havingflat incident surface2aofFIG. 12 when theincident surface2bis formed to be slanted, the number which the light crosses the vertical reflectingsurfaces22 and23 while the light is entered and sent out even if its incident direction is same. And finally, the alternation number of retroreflection and corner reflection is increased when the incident angle (α) is varied by the relative movement of the light source, which allows it to be shown as like it is much often flickered.
Third Embodiment
• FIG. 24 shows a partially enlarged perspective view of a retroreflective article according to a third embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 27 shows a side view of the retroreflective article inFIG. 24. And,FIG. 26 shows a partially enlarged perspective view of a retroreflective element of the retroreflective article according to the third embodiment.
• Theretroreflective article3 according to the third embodiment of the present invention is manufactured to have thin plate shape with light permeable materials such as glasses, crystal, PMMA (Poly Methyl Meta Acrylate), polycarbonate, ultraviolet cured resin, acrylic. Thearticle3 can be covered with various cover layers such as a layer for covering the retroreflective article, an adhesive layer to be adhered on other objects, or a reflecting layer made of lustrous materials to increase the retroreflective ratio, on a receivingsurface3aof the bottom surface of upper portion thereof.
• As shown inFIGS. 24 and 25, the retroreflective article according to the third embodiment has a structure in which theretroreflective elements30 are densely arranged withrecesses3bhaving aninclined surface3c, theelements30 having vertical reflectingsurfaces32 which has lower height of its bottom surface direct front side.
• As shown inFIG. 26, theretroreflective element30 includes a reflectingcorner31 composed of a pair ofcorner reflecting surfaces31aand31bwhich meets at a dihedral angle of about 90 degree, and a pair of vertical reflectingsurfaces32 and33 formed on both ends of the reflectingcorner31 in the perpendicular direction of the corner of the reflectingcorner31.
• As shown inFIG. 27 which is the front view ofFIG. 26, left and rightcorner reflecting surfaces31aand31bof the reflectingcorner31 have same width (W) and meet at a dihedral angle of 90 degree such that the reflectingcorner31 has symmetrical structure in leftward and rightward. Whereas, as shown inFIG. 28, thecorner reflecting surfaces31aand31bmay be formed to have different width W_aand W_bsuch that the corner direction D_w(defined as the direction of midline connecting from thecorner31cof the reflecting corner to the midpoint (M_w) between the front ends of the reflectingsurfaces31aand31b) is deflected toward any one of the reflectingsurfaces31aand31baccording to the relative position of the light source. The dihedral angle (φ) between the reflectingsurfaces31aand31bmay be designed to be slightly greater or smaller than 90 degree such that the incident light (I) can be diffusely reflected in conical shape by theretroreflective element30.
• FIG. 29 is a side view ofFIG. 26, as shown, the vertical reflectingsurfaces32 and33 formed on the front and rear ends of the reflectingcorner31 have a difference in its height (Δh=h₂−h₁) which is greater than the distance (t) between the vertical reflecting surfaces. The height difference (Δh) may be increased or decreased according to the relative position of the light source. And, the front vertical reflectingsurface32 having its height (h₁) is preferably formed to have its vertical height (h₁) which is at least same as or greater than the vertical height of the reflecting corner30 (See the reference numeral h₁₀inFIG. 27).
• Theretroreflective element30 according to the third embodiment having the above described structure, as shown inFIG. 31 retroreflects the incident light (I) entering between the front and rear vertical reflectingsurfaces32 and33 according to its incident angle (α). For example, when the incident angle (α) is greater, the incident light (I) is retroreflected by twocorner reflecting surfaces31aand31bof the reflectingcorner31 and the front and rear vertical reflectingsurfaces32 and33. Whereas, as shown inFIG. 32, when the incident angle (α) is smaller, the incident light (i) is retroreflected only by twocorner reflecting surfaces31aand31bof the reflectingcorner31 and the rear vertical reflectingsurface33.
• Generally, the retroreflective element of the retroreflective article is changed in retroreflective ratio since the area ratio of its available reflection surface is changed when the incident angle of the incident light is varied. Therefore, the retroreflective element possess the main reflecting direction (D) having the highest retroreflective ratio. Conventional retroreflective element using cube corner is very difficult to change its main reflecting direction in design, and therefore the main reflecting direction mainly does not greatly depart from the normal direction of the incident surface. Further, it has very low retroreflective ratio for the incident light having greater incident angle.
• Whereas, theretroreflective element30 of retroreflective article according to the present invention, as known inFIGS. 31 and 32, has higher retroreflective ratio for not only the incident light (I) having greater incident angle (α) but also the incident light (i) having greater incident angle (α).
• In theretroreflective element30 of retroreflective article according to the third embodiment, the main reflecting direction (D) having the highest retroreflective ratio is decided by the height difference (Δh) of two vertical reflectingsurfaces32 and33 having different height in geometric and the corner direction of the reflectingcorner30. That is, as shown inFIGS. 28 and 33, it is deflected toward the corner direction (D_w) defined as the direction of the midline which connects from thecorner31cof the reflecting corner to the midpoint (M_w) between front ends of left and rightcorner reflecting surfaces31aand31b. As shown inFIG. 30, it is deflected toward the corner direction (D_L) defined as the direction of a midline which connects from the intersected point (P) which the virtual horizontal surface crossing the upper end of the front vertical reflectingsurface32 and the rear vertical reflectingsurface33 are crossed from each other to the midpoint (M_L) between the upper ends of the front and rear vertical reflectingsurfaces32 and33. Accordingly, as shown inFIG. 33, the main reflecting direction (D) of the reflectingcorner30 is a direction of vector sum of two corner directions (D_w) and (D_L). Finally, the main reflecting direction (D) of the reflectingcorner30 can be easily changed irrespective of its angle and direction by adjusting the height difference (Δh=h₂−h₁) and the distance (t) of the vertical reflectingsurfaces32 and33 which are design factors to determine the vertical corner direction (D_L) of the reflectingcorner30, and also by adjusting the slope and the widths (W_a,W_b) of the left and rightcorner reflecting surfaces31aand31bwhich are design factors to determine the horizontal corner directions (D_w). Specifically, it can be designed to have a characteristic in which the retroreflective ratio is higher for the incident light having greater incident angle (α).
• Theretroreflective article3 according to the third embodiment having the above described structure may retroreflect mainly the incident light having greater incident angle since the main reflecting direction (D) of the reflectingcorner30 is forwardly deflected. Specifically, as shown inFIG. 27, the retroreflective ratio is advantageously not sharply decreased even if the incident angle (α) of the incident light becomes to be smaller than the deflection angle (See, β inFIG. 33) of the main reflecting direction (D) owing to the relative movement of the light source (L). And, the main reflecting direction (D) having the highest retroreflective ratio may be easily changed irrespective of its angle and direction by adjusting the widths (W_a,W_b) of the left and rightcorner reflecting surfaces31aand31bof the reflectingelement1 and the height difference (Δh) of the front and rear vertical reflecting surfaces (h₁,h₂) according to the relative position of the light source (L).
• FIG. 34 shows a side section view of a changed retroreflective article according to the third embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 35 shows a perspective view of the retroreflective article inFIG. 34.
• As can be known in this changed embodiment, theretroreflective element35 of theretroreflective article3 according to the third embodiment of the present invention may be formed so that a plurality of reflectingcorners36 are densely arranged in parallel on the bottom portion of the front and rear vertical reflectingsurfaces37 and38.
• As shown inFIG. 35, theretroreflective element35 makes a cube corner typed retroreflective structure together with the front and rear vertical reflectingsurfaces37 and38 to retroreflect. Comparing with theretroreflective element30 inFIG. 26, its retroreflective principle is substantially same and its operation and effect are also almost same even if its structure is slightly different.
• As can be known in this changed embodiment, in theretroreflective article3 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, the retroreflective element may be variously changed in its relative size and amount of the reflectingcorner36 for the front and rear vertical reflectingsurfaces37 and38 according to the requirements of its design. In this case, the main reflecting direction (D) and the retroreflective ratio will be changed by only the vertical corner direction (D_L) and the horizontal corner directions (D_w), but it is almost not affected by the size, the amount or the height of the vertical reflecting surface of the reflectingcorner36.
• Merely, comparing with theretroreflective element30 inFIG. 26, in theretroreflective element35 according to this changed embodiment, the horizontal corner directions (D_w) may adjusted by varying the width ratio of the left and right corner reflecting surfaces of theretroreflective element35 when it is designed. Accordingly, the direction of the main reflecting direction (D) having the highest retroreflective ratio may be advantageously changed in horizontal direction.
• Specifically, as shown inFIG. 34, the retroreflective article according to this changed third embodiment is that theretroreflective element35 whose main reflecting direction (D) is opposite since the vertical corner direction (D_L) is opposite. This retroreflective article can retroreflect in two directions with higher retroreflective ratio, accordingly, for example, it can be usefully applied to the center lines of a road or the road surface of a pedestrian crossing having light sources on both sides there of so as to increase the retro-reflection range.
• FIG. 36 shows another retroreflective article according to further changed embodiment of the third embodiment. As shown, in the retroreflective article, thelight receiving surface3ahas multilateral surfaces structure in which the slantedlight receiving surfaces3a1 and3a2 having different slanting direction from each other are alternatively arranged. The slantedlight receiving surfaces3a1 and3a2 are slanted with the slanted angle (δ) of 1˜60 degree, preferably 5˜45 degree with respect to the standard surface (f) which is a virtual surface parallel with the corner36cof the reflectingcorner36, which enlarges the light receiving area of thelight receiving surface3afor the incident light (I) having greater incident angle (α) and decreases the angle of refraction of the incident light (I) on thelight receiving surface3a. Therefore, it performs to increase the retroreflective ratio of theretroreflective element35 for the incident light (I) having greater incident angle (α).
• Comparing with the retroreflective article inFIG. 34, this retroreflective article has higher retroreflective ratio since the slantedlight receiving surfaces3a1 and3a2 receives the incident light and the light receiving area is enlarged for the incident light having greater incident angle (α). And, the retroreflective article can retroreflect even the incident light (i) having the incident angle (α) of 0 degree since the incident light (i) which is perpendicularly entered may be retroreflected toward the vertical reflecting surface. Therefore, a designer can freely adjust the deflection angle of the main reflecting direction (D) of theretroreflective element35 by adjusting the slanted angle (δ) of the slantedlight receiving surfaces3a1 and3a2 considering the refractive index of its materials, the height difference of the front and rear vertical reflectingsurfaces37 and38, and the distance between theretroreflective element35 and thelight receiving surface3a. Specifically, when the slanted angle (δ) of the slantedlight receiving surfaces3a1 and3a2 is designed to be greater than 30 degree, a retroreflective article having high retroreflective ratio for the incident light having small incident angle (α) (that is, the incident light entered to front of the retroreflective article) can be manufactured since the deflection angle of the main reflecting direction is smaller.
Fourth Embodiment
• FIG. 37 shows a perspective view of a retroreflective article according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention, andFIG. 38 shows a side view of the retroreflective article inFIG. 37.
• As shown inFIG. 37, theretroreflective article4 according to this fourth embodiment is composed of singleretroreflective element40. Theretroreflective element40 is formed with alight receiving surface4ahaving its slanted angle (δ) of 35 degree on the front side thereof, and formed with a reflectingcorner41 composed of left and rightcorner reflecting surfaces41aand41bon the rear side thereof. Also, it is formed with vertical reflectingsurfaces42 and43 having the height difference (Δh) on the upper and lower portion thereof.
• This retroreflective article is made of a material having the refractive index of 1.4˜1.6, and also it is designed to retroreflect the incident light entered from its front side with the highest retroreflective ratio. As shown inFIG. 38, when the incident light (I) is entered from its front side, it can be retroreflected toward the main reflecting direction of the retroreflective element on thelight receiving surface4a, and therefore it can be retroreflected with the highest retroreflective ratio. And, when the incident angle of the incident light (i) for the light receiving surface is smaller owing to the relative movement of the light source, the incident light (i) can be retroreflected toward the reflecting path shown with broken lines inFIG. 38 using the vertical reflectingsurfaces42 and43, and therefore its retroreflective ratio is not sharply decreased.
• Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it is understood that the present invention should not be limited to this preferred embodiment but various changes and modifications can be made by one skilled in the art within the sprit and scope of the present invention aimed.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY
• The retroreflective article according to the present invention has higher retroreflective ratio and wider available retroreflective range, and it is designed to be freely changed its main reflecting direction having the highest retroreflective ratio. Therefore, it can be applied to a variety of traffic safety facilities such as traffic signs, pavement markers, delineators and tripods or goods which should be importantly confirmed their visibility at rainy day or at night such as safety clothes, automobiles, bicycles, helmets and shoes as one retroreflective means.

Claims (14)

1. A retroreflective article including at least one retroreflective element, the retroreflective element comprising:

at least one reflecting corner comprised of a pair of corner reflecting surfaces which meet at dihedral angle of about 90 degree; and

a pair of vertical reflecting surfaces which are formed on both ends of the reflecting corner to be substantially perpendicular to a corner of the reflecting corner with a distance which is smaller than the highest vertical height and which meet at dihedral angle of about 90 degree for the pair of corner reflecting surfaces.

2. The retroreflective article according toclaim 1, wherein the retroreflective element further includes more than two reflecting corners arranged in parallel between the two vertical reflecting surfaces.

3. The retroreflective article according toclaim 1, wherein the distance between the two vertical reflecting surfaces is less than ½ of the highest vertical height (h).

4. The retroreflective article according toclaim 1, wherein the two vertical reflecting surfaces have different vertical height.

5. The retroreflective article according toclaim 4, wherein the distance (t) between the two vertical reflecting surfaces is less than ⅔ of the vertical height difference of the two vertical reflecting surfaces.

6. The retroreflective article according toclaim 4, wherein the retroreflective elements are arranged so that a vertical reflecting surface having lower vertical height directs same direction.

7. The retroreflective article according toclaim 4, wherein the retroreflective elements are arranged so that a vertical reflecting surface having lower vertical height crossly directs opposite direction.

8. The retroreflective article according toclaim 4, wherein the difference of the vertical height of the two vertical reflecting surfaces is greater than the distance between the two vertical reflecting surfaces.

9. The retroreflective article according toclaim 1, wherein a receiving light surface which receives the incident light entered on the retroreflective element at the upper portion of the retroreflective element may be formed to have an inclined angle of 1˜60 degree with respect to the standard surface which is parallel with the corner of the reflecting corner.

10. The retroreflective article according toclaim 1, wherein the receiving light surface has multilateral surfaces structure in which the slanted light receiving surfaces having different slanting direction from each other are alternatively arranged.

11. The retroreflective article according toclaim 10, wherein the slanted angle of the slanted light receiving surfaces is 5˜45 degree.

12. The retroreflective article according toclaim 4, wherein the receiving light surface has multilateral surfaces structure in which the slanted light receiving surfaces having different slanting direction from each other are alternatively arranged.

13. The retroreflective article according toclaim 12, wherein the slanted angle of the slanted light receiving surfaces is 5˜45 degree.

14. The retroreflective article according toclaim 9, wherein a material of the retroreflective article has the refractive index of 1.4˜1.8, and the receiving light surface is formed to meet the vertical reflecting surface and to have a slanted angle of 30˜45 degree for the standard surface thereof.

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